Niarchos draft

There was a rather aptly-named top lot to the final session of the November Breeding Stock Sale as Over The Moon (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) led the way on Saturday with Goffs chief Henry Beeby summing up the trade at Kildare Paddocks this week as "historic". Over The Moon (lot 1373) was sold in foal to Space Blues (Ire) to Ted Naughton for €80,000 from Knocktoran Stud in a week where the Niarchos draft, headlined by record-equalling half-sisters Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman...

Group 1 winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Alpha Lupi {Ire}, by Rahy) brought €6 million and was the second seven-figure lot of the day during the Goffs November Breeding Stock sale when selling to MV Magnier. Consigned by Kiltanan Castle Stud for the Niarchos family, lot 1240 is carrying to Frankel (GB). She is a half-sister to the European champion Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who won four Group 1 races, as well as a full-sister to G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).   ⭐️...

One of the reasons that the Racing League has struggled to catch on is that the organisers have underestimated the attachment that regular racegoers and viewers have to certain sets of silks. We all have our favourites, often depending on when we were born and who the leading lights were at the time.  Some have now faded from everyday use, and for this fan the Ballymacoll Stud colours are much missed. Certain silks have such resonance that one almost doesn't need to have a race card handy to have an...

Over 40 lots from the Niarchos Draft headline the 541-strong Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale catalogue, which was released on Tuesday. Some of the stars of the two-day stand on Nov. 24-25 are Classic heroine and four-time Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) (lot 1263) in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire); Group 1 winners Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) (lot 1240) in foal to Frankel (GB) and Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 1212) carrying to St Marks Basilica (Fr). All three mares are from the...